Gun perforator



Sept. '5, 1%. e. F. TURECHEK GUN PERFORATOR Filed Aug. 13, 1943TUl-EECHEK mm m m N. O @W PEBFQRATOR George F. Turecliek, Los Angelou,Calm,

2' 0! to Lane-Wells Company, Los Angeles, Ca a corporation of DelawareApplication August 13, 1943, Serial Nordilfijdl I 14 Claims.

My invention relates to gun perforators, that is, to devices which areadapted to be lowered within well casing tor the purpose of firingbullets laterally into the surrounding formation and thereby formpassages for the flow of oil into theoil well. Among the objects of myinvention are:

First, to provide a gun perforator wherein the cartridge chambers arearranged in opposed pairs and are closed by unthreaded plugs betweenwhich is interposed a compression block whereby the explosive forcesgenerated in the cartridge chambers (which would otherwise blow theplugs from 2 formed in the gun body. These gun bores are parallel andoccupy a common plane intersecting one side of the gun body in avertical line. At the o posite side of the gun body from the muzzle endsof the gun bores and located midway therebetween is a recess 8 havinghorizontal upper gun unit, including two cartridge chambers and theirrespective bores, may be removed and reassembled without further use oftools;

Third, to provide a gun perforator of this character wherein the severaldual gun units may be overlapped axially and their respective gun boresaimed in various directions in such a manner that a relatively largenumber of gun units may be incorporated in a gun body of limited length,thereby providing a gun perforator having a favorable weight or lengthper gun bore ratio;

Fourth, to provide a gun perforator incorporating a dual gun unit which,although arranged so that the explosive forces are counterbalanced whenthe two elements of thegun unit are fired simultaneously, neverthelessis capable of being fired one element at a time, thus the cartridges maybe fired individually, or in pairs as desired, and no damage isinflicted should one of the cartridges misfire; and

Fifth, to provide a gun perforator which is adapted to be firedelectrically.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my gun periorator;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view thereof,taken through l2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through 33 of Figure 1.

My gun periorator is incorporated in a gun body I, which is in the formof a cylindrical bar of steel. Each gun unit includes two gun bores andlower walls in which are formed sockets which extend upwardly anddownwardly to intersect the rear ends of the respective gun bores 2. Theinner end of each socket forms a cartridge chamber A while the outer endis counterbored, forming a shoulder 5. The two cartridge chambers ofeach gun unit receive cartridges 6. Each cartridge 6 comprises acontainer of insulating material having electrical terminals at its endconnected within the cartridge by means of a fuse wire.

The counterbored portion outwardly from each cartridge chamber receivesa cylindrical plug 5, the inner end of which seats against thecorresponding shoulder B. Each plug 7 is formed of steel and providedwith an annular channel 8 which receives a seal ring 9. Each seal ring 8is substantially V-shaped in cross section, forming lips which aredirected outwardly so. that fluid pressureentering through the recess 1spreads the lips of the seal ring against the plug and surroundng walls,thereby efiecting a seal against the entrance of fluid into thecorresponding cartridge chamber. Each plug 1 is provided with a smalllongitudinal opening therethrough which receives a terminal unit it. Theterminal unit is provided with a contact head at-the inner side of theplug which. is engaged by one of the terminals of the correspondingcartridge 8. The oifter end of the terminal unit is provided with a sealplug l l to exclude fluid and is provided with a terminal nut to whichmay be attached a lead wire, as will be described hereinafter.

The outer ends of the pair of plugs 1 project slightly from the axiallyopposite side of-the recess 3. A compression block I! fits between thepair of plugs 1, the axialend of the compression .block being providedwith clearance channels l3 for the outer ends of the terminal unit ID.The compression block I 2 is held in place by a bolt I4, the shank ofwhich fits loosely in a hole through the compression block so that thecompression block is capable of a slight movement longitud nally withrespect to the gun body.

Each gun bore receives a bullet l5 and its outer end is closed by amuzzle cap IE to exclude fluid. Each gun unit thus comprises a pair ofgun bores, a pair of cartridge chambers, a pair of sealing plugs forthese chambers and a compression block between the plugs, the cartridgechambers and sealing plugs being in axial alignment. The gun units thusdefined occupy a generally U-shaped portion of the gun body, the gunbores forming the legs of the U and the chambers and recess the crossportion thereof. It is therefore possible for the adjacent gun units tobe overlapped axially; that is, by directing the gun bores of adjacentgun units in different directions they may extend in the space definedby the U of the neighboring gun unit, as shown in Figure 2 and in Figure1 wherein A designates the first gun unit, and B and C overlapping thesecond and third gun units.

.Ample space may be provided between the gun bores of each gun unit topermit a relatively wide recess 3 in order that tools may be applied forboring out the sockets 4 which form the cartridge chambers andcounterbored plug-receiving portions. Also, advantage is gained in thefact that the gun bores of each gun unit are spaced a substantialdistance apart for inasmuch as it is preferred to fire the'msimultaneously, and by reason of this substantial distance there islittle or no danger of excessively straining the well casinglongitudinally between the points of penetration of the bullet. Byreason of the axially overlapping arrangement of the gun units adesirable spacing of the gun bores of each unit is accomplished withoutwaste of gun body length.

The gun body is provided with a conductor channel 11 extending past therecesses of each group of gun units. Each channel receives a multiplewire conductor 18 having branch leads l9; one lead may connect to thetwo cartridges of each unit or individual leads may be provided for thetwo cartridges.

Operation of my gun perforator is as follows: If both cartridges of eachgun unit are fired simultaneously the explosive forces on the sealingplugs are neutralized. If, however, only one of the cartridges'fires theforce is transmitted from the plug of the fired cartridge through thecompression block, and thence to the plug of the unfired cartridge andagainst the shoulder 5. At no time is the force of the explosion takenby the bolt H. No threads are required between the plugs and. the boresin which they fit. Thus,

while it is intended to fire the two parts of each or reload a gun unitit is merely necessary to i remove its bolt H. The compression block I!and sealing plugs Il may then be removed without tools. Reassembly isequally as-easy.

Various changes and alternate arrangements may be made within the scopeof the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all noveltyinherent in the invention.

I claim: I

1. A gun perforator comprising: a gun body defining a pair of cartridgesockets having open ends facing each other, and gun bores communicatingwith said cartridge sockets; plugs closing the open ends of saidcartridge sockets; and means inserted between said plugs for retainingsaid plugs in position against explosive forces generated within saidcartridge sockets.

'2. A gun perforator comprising: a gun body defining a recess, cartridgesockets extending in opposite directions from opposite walls of saidrecess, and gun bores extending from said carplugs against explosivepressures within said cartridge sockets.

3. A gun perforator comprising: a gun body defining a recess, a pair ofoppositely directed cartridge sockets leading therefrom, their outerends facing each other and counterbored to form shoulders, and gun borescommunicating with said cartridge sockets; sealing plugs adapted to fitin the counterbored portions of said sockets and bear against saidshoulders; and a compression block interposed between said sealing plugsfor restraining said sealing plugs against explosive pressures withinsaid cartridge sockets.

4. 'A gun perforator comprising: a cylindrical gun body defining a pairof laterally directed gun bores, their muzzle ends pointing in the samedirection, a recess midway between said gun bores at the opposite sideof said gun body from said muzzle ends; cartridge sockets extendinglongitudinally from said recess into intersection with the inner ends ofsaid gun bores; and compression resisting means in said recess closingsaid,

- inserted therein through said recess; and a comunit being interposedbetween the gun bores of tridge sockets; plugs adapted to be insertedinto the adjacent gun units.

7. A construction, as set forth in claim 5,

wherein each pair of gun bores and their respective cartridge socketsform a gun unit, and said gun body incorporates several of said gununits, the several gun units being arranged in axially overlappingrelation, the gun bore of each gun unit being interposed between the gunbores of the adjacent gun units.

- 8. A gun perforator comprising: a gun body defining a pair ofcartridge sockets having open ends facing each other, and gun borescommunicating with said cartridge sockets; plugs closing the open endsof said cartridge sockets; a fiuid sealing gasket girdling each plug toprevent entrance of fiuid into said cartridge socket; and means insertedbetween said plugs for retaining said plugs in position againstexplosive forces generated within said cartridge sockets.

9. A gun perforator comprising: a gun body defining a recess, a pair ofoppositely directed cartridge sockets leading therefrom, their outerends facing each otherand counterbored to form shoulders, and gun borescommunicating with said cartridge sockets; sealing plugs slidablyfitting the counterbored portions of said cartridge sockets and havingannular channels; sealing rings fitting said channels to seal thejuncture between said sealing plugs and the counterbored portions; and acompression block interposed between said sealing plugs for restrainingsaid several gun units being disposed in axially oversealing plugsagainst explosive pressures within said cartridge sockets.

10. A gun perforator comprising: a cylindrical gun body defining a pairof laterally directed ing longitudinally from said recess intointersection with the inner ends of said gun bores; sealingplugs adaptedto be inserted in said cartridge sockets through said recess, saidsealing plugs slidably fitting said cartridge sockets; sealing ringscarried by said sealing plugs and bearing against the walls of saidcartridge sockets; and a compression block interposed between saidsealing plugs for holding said sealing plugs in said cartridge socketsagainst explosive pressures generated therein.

11. A construction, as set forth in claim 10, wherein each pair of gunbores and their respective cartridge sockets form a gun unit, and saidgun body incorporates several of said gun units, the several gun unitsbeing arranged in axially overlapping relation, the gun bore of lappingrelation; said body defining longitudinally extending channelsintersecting said recesses, and conductors extending along said channelsand having leads for communicating with said cartridge chambers throughsaid compression resisting means.

13. A construction, as set forth in claim 5, wherein each'pair of gunbores and their respective sockets form a. gun unit, and said gun bodyincorporates several of, said gun units, the

several gun units being disposed in axially overlapping relation; saidbody defining longitu-. dinally extending channels intersecting saidrecesses, and conductors extending along said channels and havingleadscommunicating with said cartridge chambers through said sealingeach unit being interposed between the gun bores plugs.

14. A construction, as set forth inclaim 10. wherein each pair of gunbores and their respective sockets form a gun unit, and said gun bodyincorporates several of said gun units, the several gun units beingdisposed in axially overlapping relation; said body defininglongitudinally extending channels intersecting said recesses, andconductors extending along said channels and having leads communicatingwith said cartridge chambers through said sealing plugs.

' GEORGE F. TURECHEK.

